Policy Brief Policy Brief: Dual Enrollment in California By Olga Rodriguez, Niu Gao, Mary Severance Oct 18, 2021 Key takeaways from a report on promoting the equitable expansion of dual enrollment, which provides opportunities for high school students to take college courses and earn college credit.
Report Implementing California’s School Funding Formula: Will High-Need Students Benefit? By Laura Hill, Iwunze Ugo Mar 12, 2015 The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) reformed California’s K–12 school finance system. It replaced a patchwork of formulas and specific (or "categorical”) programs with a focus on local control, funding equity, and additional support for the large share of students (63%) who are "high needs"—that is, low-income, English Learner, and/or foster care youth. However, there are still concerns about whether the new funding will reach high-need students. Because districts have spending flexibility, and because some of the extra funding for high-need students is based on their districtwide enrollment levels, it is possible that high-need schools in districts with relatively low overall shares of high-need students will not get the funding they need. Our research indicates that county offices of education—which are charged with assisting districts in developing and achieving accountability plans—may have extra work to do in parts of Southern California, the Bay Area, and Sacramento to ensure that extra state funding improves outcomes of high-need students who are not evenly distributed across district schools.
Occasional Paper, Report Financing New School Construction and Modernization: Evidence from California By Kim Rueben, Eric J. Brunner Jun 1, 2001 Presented to the Finance & Facilities Working Group - K-12 Education, Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education - Kindergarten through University, June 28 2001.
At Issue, Report School Finance Reform By Margaret Weston Nov 10, 2010 California’s school finance system is widely believed to be inequitable, inadequately funded, and overly complex. But the state can significantly improve the way it funds public schools by making small investments over time. This report provides an overview of the system’s current challenges, offers five straightforward principles for reform, and outlines a new direction for the state’s school finance system. This report was supported with funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Report California School District Revenue and Student Poverty: Moving Toward a Weighted Pupil Funding Formula By Heather Rose, Margaret Weston Feb 21, 2013 Governor Brown has proposed a new funding system—known as a weighted pupil formula—that would direct more revenue to California school districts serving many economically disadvantaged students. This report examines the relationship between funding and student disadvantage and addresses questions about converting the current school finance system to a weighted pupil formula. We gratefully acknowledge the support of The Silver Giving Foundation and the Stuart Foundation.
Report Distance Learning Strategies in California Schools By Niu Gao, Laura Hill, Julien Lafortune Apr 14, 2021 Learning gaps are a growing concern after a year of online instruction. During the pandemic, uneven distribution of resources may have widened gaps and led to learning loss for some students. Our survey outlines how California school districts addressed remote learning and their strategies to improve instruction in the 2020–21 school year.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Achieving Universal Broadband in California By Joseph Hayes, Niu Gao, Darriya Starr, Amy Gong Liu Mar 29, 2023 The COVID-19 pandemic spurred historic federal and state investments in broadband. Achieving universal broadband in California will require coordinated efforts among service providers, municipalities, and community organizations to overcome existing barriers and leverage funding opportunities.
Report California’s English Learner Students By Laura Hill Sep 6, 2012 English Learner (EL) students in California’s schools are numerous and diverse, and they lag behind their native-English-speaking peers. Closing the achievement gap for EL students has been a long-standing goal for California educators, and there are some signs of success. Now that EL funding and curriculum issues are receiving a fresh level of scrutiny from decisionmakers in Sacramento, it is important to assess our understanding of this diverse group, highlight the opportunities to improve policies around demonstrating mastery of English, calibrate funding formulas involving EL students, and implement new curriculum standards thoughtfully.
Statewide Survey PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government By Mark Baldassare, Dean Bonner, Rachel Lawler, Alyssa Dykman Nov 18, 2019 Key findings from the current survey: Biden, Warren, and Sanders are the frontrunners in California’s Democratic presidential primary. Most Californians favor impeaching President Trump and removing him from office; views on how the impeachment inquiry is being handled are mixed. Many are concerned about wildfires and power shutoffs during fall fire season; local utilities and the governor get mixed reviews for their handling of the issue. Nearly two-thirds think California is divided between “haves” and “have nots”; 41 percent see themselves as “haves” and 44 percent say they are “have nots.”
Report Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards: Early Evidence from California By Niu Gao, Lunna Lopes, Grace Lee, Sara Adan Mar 6, 2018 The California State Board of Education (SBE) adopted the California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to transform science teaching and learning in K–12 schools in 2013. The new standards emphasize “three-dimensional learning”: disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices.
